Melt me so with thy delicious numbers... is written for solo viola, solo cello or solo violin with live computer accompanist. One inspiration for the piece is the famous engraving by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528) entitled Melancholia. In Dürer's picture, a depressed angel contemplates the Universe with human tools of measurement. In much the same way the soloist in Melt me so... is left to contemplate in isolation the electronic echo that is a direct result of the performers actions. The title is lifted from a text by Robert Herrick (1591-1674) entitled To Music, to Becalm His Fever. The work is collaborative in the sense that each performer works closely with the composer to develop a personalized version of the piece.

Computers are not often thought of as being capable of contributing expressive musical responses in a live performance situation. My goal was to create a musical setting that places the electro-acoustic response on the same footing as a live musician who follows and accompanies a soloist.

In Melt me so..., the computer analyzes signal coming from a microphone attached to the solo instrument and then transforms the incoming data to produce a musical accompaniment. The computer program works to support and enhance temporal, spectral and gestural details of the performance. These are things we take for granted when listening and judging finely crafted instrumental music and performance but seem to forget about when it comes to computer based musics.
This cello version of the piece is dedicated to Danielle DeGruttola and the viola version is dedicated to Ellen Ruth Rose. The Max/MSP software could not have been completed without generous support from the Center for New Music and Audio Technologies in the Department of Music at UC Berkeley. Special thanks to Matthew Wright for computer programming support.